SWEDEN. Having fought a hard battle to get sales back on track from last year, HH-Ferries has launched new catalogues dedicated to offering their travellers a full shopping experience onboard for the summer months.
During high season summer 2003 HH-Ferries estimates to carry 600,000 passengers and 200,000 cars between Denmark and Sweden. Passenger traffic has been hit badly by the bridge that was built between Denmark and Sweden, costing passengers only €33 (US$38) to drive across.
“We are fighting hard,” HH-Ferries onboard services manager (and former SAS Trading area manager) Christian Funch told The Moodie Report. “We have managed to get sales back to the levels of last year before the bridge opened and we are happy that we have been able to do this.”
HH-Ferries has launched a 24-page main catalogue (pictured) and a children’s catalogue for the summer months. The magazines are now in a new size with improved distribution, available at the ferry booking offices, and they are also handed out to passengers in their cars while they wait to drive onboard.
“This is a great way to target shoppers, as they browse while they are waiting and therefore they are more aware of offers and pre-plan their purchases,” said Funch.
Confectionery, beer and wine are the main sellers onboard. This is predominately because of the cost savings on wine and beer for the Swedes compared with domestic prices.
“We are curently running a Heineken promotion which has been extremely successful onboard. For DKK 134 [US$20.60] passengers can purchase a carton (suitcase type) with 24 x 33cl cans – that is a saving of roughly 40% compared with the Swedish domestic market. We are selling something like 300 cartons per ship per day.”
HH-Ferries has also launched a ‘Junior-Shopping’ catalogue for the summer with confectionery and toys specifically aimed at amusing children on long journeys.
“Of these M&M’s Travel Friends, retailing at DKK 75 [US$15.79] and Fruitti Truck, for only DKK29 [US$4.61] are the best sellers,” said Funch.
And there are some completely new products that are selling surprisingly well. Funch said the unique Tea Boy – a toy penguin with a timer that removes the tea bag when the tea has been fully brewed (DKK 119 /US$18.57) – sold 40 in its first week when it was released almost a month ago, and has now sold around 200.
“It is intriguing to see what works and what does not work with passengers,” said Funch. “The Tea Boy clearly has wide-ranging gift appeal, probably because it is such an original and affordable product.”
